Changes
by CrimsonMode11
Summary: After collecting all eight badges for the Kalos League, Ash heads to Kiloude City for the Wallace Cup. Meanwhile, Dawn also heads to Kiloude for her final ribbon. Both remember their promise to each other. However, a third party has her own problems. Sequel to 'Towards The Future'. Multi-chapter story.
1. Arrival

**Hello and welcome to the sequel to my first fanfiction. This will be a multi-chapter story following up on the events of 'Towards The Future'. Please note that Serena does not have a large role in this fic and characters will have a telephone conversation with her at most. I know it's odd to discard a main character from the prequel, but I feel like I left her character where I wanted it. This story will focus more on Pearlshipping.**

**A sincere thank you to all of my reviewers form my first story. They were all greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. All names and characters belong to their rightful owners.**

The landscape was a blur of green fields and grey skies. The occasional darker green smudge of forest could be seen on the horizon, but they vanished just as quickly as they arrived. Turning his head away from the monotonous scenery, Ash Ketchum shifted in his seat in order to get more comfortable. The train journey from Lumiose City to Kiloude City was a lengthy one. It was at this point that he would start a conversation with his numerous travelling companions, unfortunately that hadn't been an option since he had started to travel on his own three months ago, following his date with Serena. The two had done some serious growing up over those few days and Serena had remained in Lumiose to pursue PokéVisions as a career, with Clemont and his sister staying to care for their gym.

Ash's first stint of travelling alone since the early days of his journey had gone as well as could be expected. His innate curiosity had led him and his Pokémon to being lost on numerous occasions (in a swamp no less) and often resulted in messy encounters with wild Pokémon whose territory they had unwittingly violated. He had learned his lesson however, and 'stay on the road' had become a mantra that constantly resonated in his head. Travelling with Brock and Cilan had taught him the basics of preparing food for his Pokémon, and he had often used those talents when he had travelled with his friends in the early days of his Kalos journey. His Pokémon were well fed. However, Ash himself was not. Pokémon food came as pellets and could be easily stored. Human food needed proper containers and a good deal of preparation before there was anything edible. Needless to say, Ash had had a very hungry first week of travel.

It became easier once he reached Laverre City. There he had met his old friend Iris, who was studying the Fairy type, as they were a huge obstacle to all Dragon types. Before he challenged the gym he picked her brains on living off the land. The wild child had given him much guidance about what to eat and what would make him puke his guts out. They then decided to battle, with Iris choosing to use her Axew. After a moment's thought, Ash had headed to the PC and had his Gible sent over. At the time he wanted a Dragon against Dragon battle. This had inevitably led to ten minutes of Iris ranting over his stupidity for not telling her he owned a Dragon type sooner. After she had calmed down the two had battled intensely. The end result had been both Pokémon evolving to their next stages before passing out.

Iris's anger had faded completely at the sight of her newly evolved Faxure. Ash had been so pleased with his new Gabite that he had chosen to return him to his travelling team as his fifth Pokémon. After Ash had earned the Gym badge from the local Fairy Gym, the old friends had parted ways again, as Iris had more research to do. The last he had heard, she was trying to teach her Dragonite Iron Tail in order to counter Fairies.

Armed with new knowledge of the wilds, Ash's travelling became much easier as he was able to gather a meal for himself from the surrounding area. After some practice he could even cook something that would pass for edible. Gabite's success had given Ash an idea. His most successful League entry to date had been in Sinnoh, where he had earned placement in the Top Four. It had taken two Legendries to knock him out of the tournament. In the Sinnoh League he had rotated in Pokémon from all his past journeys to great effect. For the last leg of his Kalos journey he had applied the same strategy and each time he visited a Pokémon Centre, his sixth Pokémon would be one of the ones he used to travel with.

That was not to say he neglected his Kalos caught Pokémon however; those three had stayed with him throughout. Firstly, there was Greninja, his first Pokémon in the region. Strange, angular features and blank stares aside, the Ninja Frog Pokémon combined two of Ash's favourite things: speed and ferocious attack power. Next, there was Talonflame- his latest bird Pokémon was a Fire/Flying type and prideful with it. The bird would not enter a battle without first taking meticulous care of his orange and grey plumage. Lastly, there was Hawlucha. The unique Fighting/Flying type remained as brash as ever and his time travelling with Ash had done little to dull the wrestler's flare in battle. Of course, there was always Ash's most faithful companion: the ever present Pikachu who mirrored his trainer in almost every way. The electric mouse was currently curled up on the seat next to him. Ash felt a stab of envy, wishing he could join his partner. But thoughts of the future still weighed on his mind.

After earning all the eight badges he needed and with four months to go before the Kalos League itself, Ash had found himself at a loss about what to do. That was why, after visiting his old travelling companions in Lumiose City, he had hopped onto the train to Kiloude City. The Wallace Cup was being hosted there: the first ever Contest in the Kalos region in a bid to promote the popular competition to further away regions. Ash was looking forwards to watching the Cup; after all it was something to do and Contests always had good ideas for inspiration. And he did have a promise to keep to someone who was sure to be there.

Dawn. He had been thinking about her offer of a 'friendly date' for a long time now. Although neither of them had mentioned it when they had arranged to meet in Kiloude City, it was still there, lingering in the background. When on the road alone, there was little to occupy Ash's ever inquisitive mind. His thoughts most often turned to his Pokémon: who should he use in his next battle, strategies should he devise for them. However, he couldn't train and walk simultaneously so he still had long periods of nothing to do and whilst he could understand Pikachu better than most humans, there was still a limit to how much they could communicate, making long conversations impossible. During these times, his thoughts would drift to his old friends and he would wonder how they were doing. The most prominent amongst these was Dawn and her offer.

In spite of what Iris said, Ash was no little kid. He had hormones like any other teenage boy and they all told him that Dawn was beautiful: creamy pale skin, an hour-glass figure and long blue hair that framed a face with eyes that could light up the night. His brain told him that Dawn was so much more than a pretty face, however. All her enthusiasm, her tireless pursuit of her dream and her optimistic outlook on life mean that the two of them could only be good for each other. However, there was still the cruel voice of doubt in the back of his mind: _You dodged a bullet once with Serena. Are you really going to risk it again?_ Ash was a risk-taker on the battlefield, but not when it came to friendships. And he valued Dawn's friendship more than any other.

And then there was more. As part of the hype for the Wallace Cup, Kalos had been provided with footage of all the Contests over the last year. This had given Ash the opportunity to watch all of Dawn's Contests that he had missed whilst she was travelling in Hoenn, even the ones she had lost. She had shown talent, grace, power and intelligence in all of her performances. However, Ash knew Dawn well. There was something missing from her, and he couldn't but his finger on it. If something was truly bothering Dawn, he had to put aside his growing feelings for her in order to resolve it.

Ash shifted in his seat again, this time due to the discomfort of his own thoughts. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. There was still half an hour of the journey left. Ash closed his eyes and tried to sleep join his partner in sleep.

* * *

><p>Dawn raised her hands above her head as far as they would go and stretched her legs out in front of her until she heard the satisfying crack of her joints. The flight from Slateport City to Kiloude City had been the longest she had taken since visiting Ash in Unova. Returning her hands to her side, she then adjusted her new skirt. Dawn's outfit had gone through changes since she had spoken to Ash in Lilycove three months ago. It had taken several salacious comments from passing sailors for her to realize that what could pass for appropriate on a late-blooming thirteen-year-old girl was much less acceptable for a sixteen-year-old well on her way to becoming a young woman. She had kept her white beanie and the same footwear that she had in Sinnoh but had swapped her old clothes for a black cotton tank top and light pink jacket. On her lower half she now wore a white skirt that came down to just above her knees. It was enough to still show off her figure, but no longer gave the false impression that she was 'easy'.<p>

Travelling with Ash and Brock had given her a protection she had never truly appreciated until she had to travel on her own. The young men she had met were more flirtatious and forwards than she was comfortable with. Still, she was by no means defenceless and whilst her darling Piplup was not the most intimidating Pokémon in the world, her Mamoswine was more than enough to chase off any one whom over stepped themselves. That was not to say Dawn was completely against the idea of dating, on the contrary she'd had a boyfriend in the past.

After beating her in the Johto Wallace Cup, her childhood friend Kenny had finally picked up the courage to ask her out. Taken by surprise, and being very flattered Dawn had accepted. However, two Coordinators travelling together as a couple was a recipe for disaster. They had argued over who would enter the next Contest; Kenny wanted to capitalise on his win in Johto and build up a streak whilst Dawn had argued that she should have the opportunity to win one. They had settled the matter with a battle between their starters and Dawn had been victorious in spite of Piplup facing his fully evolved form. Kenny had not taken the defeat well. It was then that Dawn realized that Kenny wanted a very specific sort of girl: one who would look up to him and above all else was weaker than him. Dawn did not want a boyfriend who couldn't swallow his pride and her relationship with Kenny had soured to the point where they had broken up and could not even be described as friends any more.

The subject of boys brought to mind probably the most significant male in her life. She was meeting Ash in Kiloude and finally seeing him again in person. The idea made her more excited than she cared to admit, even to herself. She wondered if Ash remembered the promise they made to spend time alone together. She knew that it would only be a friendly date to get them both used to the idea again, but she couldn't help but think of it as something more serious. She supposed she had always had a soft spot for Ash. His childish antics and open-eyed view of the world attracted her. He was her tireless supporter and her biggest fan after her own mother and having him there to cheer her on in the Wallace Cup was sure to lead to her earning her fifth ribbon.

Then again… doubt lingered in her mind. Although she had been earning her ribbons in Hoenn she had yet to overcome any of her major rivals in a Contest. From losing to Kenny in Johto to losing to Ursula in Pacifidlog Town, Dawn had always fallen down at the last and biggest hurdle of her performances. She wasn't entirely sure, but she felt that it was tied in to the absence of Ash and Brock. The two had been present for every Contest she had entered in Sinnoh and having someone there in the audience who would cheer for you and be there for you whether you won or lost had been amazing. Contests in Hoenn just hadn't been the same without them. And Dawn hated it. She had set out to achieve her dream and be like her mother, not to become dependent on having someone there to hold her hand. She didn't blame Ash or Brock for this though; it was her problem to solve.

The aeroplane began to tilt beneath her. Glancing up, she noticed that the seatbelt sign had come on and that they were preparing to land. As she was in a window seat, she closed her tray and raised the shutter, squinting as blinding sunlight shone through into the otherwise gloomy cabin. Her travelling companion to her left groaned in protest as she attempted to cover her eyes from the sun, wanting only to return to sleep. Dawn couldn't help but grin, pushing away her negative thoughts for the time being.

"You're wearing sunglasses Zoey, remember?" she teased her red-headed rival. In spite of earning her five ribbons, Zoey wanted to compete in the Wallace Cup as well.

"Oh right." the other girl muttered, sleepily. Moving her hand to her forehead, she shifted her favourite eyewear form their perch to their rightful place protecting her eyes. Dawn continued to smile at her friend. Coming from the freezing cold Snowpoint City, the warm and tropical weather of Hoenn had come as a shock to Zoey and her purple jacket and jeans had been swapped out for cream coloured shorts and a plain purple t-shirt. Unfortunately, the exposed skin revealed the angry, blotchy red of the girl's extensive sunburn. When she wasn't wearing her sunglasses, you could even see the plain white circles they had left around her eyes contrasting sharply with her red face. No, Hoenn weather had not been kind to Zoey. Not that it had affected her performances in anyway; Zoey had a perfect streak of five Contest wins in a row.

"You'd better wake up now Zoey, we're about to land!" The blunette informed her friend. As her eyes had now adjusted to the bright light, Dawn looked out of the window. They were beneath the cloud layer now and she could see Kiloude City stretching out beneath them. The ocean was a deep, clean blue and a thin ribbon of pure white sand separated it from the resort city. Dawn could make out villas and hotels, all their roofs tiled in red. In the centre of the town stood a huge stadium with a front that looked almost church-like. There was no doubt that that was where the Wallace Cup would be held.

_Ash is down there as well, _the blunette thought. She glanced to her left where Zoey was now stirring. There was no need to worry. Whatever issues she was facing in her Contests at the moment, she would not let it get in the way of her having a good time with her closest friends.

* * *

><p>It was amazing how weather could clear up over a bit of time and distance. It had been a miserable morning in Lumiose City but in the bright, midday sunshine of Kiloude City; it might as well have been another world to Ash. He currently sat in a small park, biding his time until Dawn's plane landed. Pikachu was off somewhere sniffing flowers and playing tag with wild Pokémon. To his right was his newly evolved Meganium. His Bayleef had evolved when he had kept his promise to enter her in a Gym battle. In spite of it being the Ice type Gym and his eighth badge, Ash had kept his promise and his Bayleef had evolved to her final form and taken out both his opponent's Cryogonal and Avalugg before fainting. Wulfric's Mega Ambomasnow had proved a problem, but his Pikachu and Talonflame had managed to bring it down.<p>

Regardless, he knew that Meganium loved nature and the Johto grass type was definitely enjoying the scenery and the company of her trainer. The ring of pink petals around her neck ruffled as a breeze blew through the area and the sweet smell of flowers helped Ash to relax from his restless time on the train. He had always preferred walking in the outdoors as opposed to travelling by transport. A beeping from his watch interrupted the peaceful scene. It was the alarm he had set so he didn't miss Dawn's plane when it landed. He quickly returned his Meganium, promising to play with it later and waved to Pikachu, who leapt onto his shoulder. They were both eager to see their old friends, Dawn and Piplup.

It did not take them long to reach the sea port, where ships would dock and sea planes would land. There were several planes already unloading passengers and a large crowd had gathered. People were meeting friends, business partners and relatives. Ash entered the crowd and struggled to move through to the front. With Pikachu on his shoulder he was rather noticeable, so whichever plane Dawn got off, she was sure to spot him. After much apologizing (and unfortunately necessary elbowing) he managed to make it to the front. Scanning the milling group of passengers, he noticed a familiar white beanie in the crowd.

"Hey! Dawn!" He cried in greeting, raising his hand in the air. Pikachu joined in with his exclamation and pumped his little paw. The blunette turned and spotted him and a wide smile crossed her face. He grinned. She had changed clothes since they had spoken in Lilycove City, and he had to admit they looked good on her. Meanwhile, Dawn had raised both her arms in greeting, waving enthusiastically, before jogging towards him. Slightly behind her Ash noticed the familiar sight of Dawn's biggest rival, the red-headed Coordinator Zoey.

Before he could acknowledge the other girl, Dawn was on him in a blur. He felt her arms wrap around him and he, on pure instinct returned the embrace. The hug was unexpected and unplanned, but not unwelcome. Just as soon as it had started, Dawn pulled away. For a couple of seconds they stood staring at each other, her arms draped loosely around his neck and his resting around her waist.

"Hey." Dawn said, shyly.

"Hey." Ash responded in a similar fashion. There was a familiar sensation of butterflies in his stomach. Dawn sniffed and frowned.

"Why do you smell like flowers?" she asked.

"Blame Meganium for that," Ash laughed and Dawn's eyes lit up in amusement. For a moment, the world shrank to just the two of them, but then the moment was interrupted by someone clearing their throat just behind the blunette. Reluctantly, the two drew apart and Zoey stepped forwards.

"Nice to see you again, Ash." The red-head said, offering a hand.

Ash shook it, grinning broadly. "Good to see you too, Zoey. Dawn's told me that you've had a pretty good Contest run. Although the weather could have been kinder." He was commenting on the girl's sunburn.

"I hate the sun. It's so hot in Hoenn," Zoey grumbled. "And here doesn't seem much better." She frowned at the sky, as if the sun would suddenly dim and apologise for its rude behaviour.

Smiling at seeing her two closest friends getting on with each other, Dawn nodded in the direction of the town. "Shouldn't we be getting to the Pokémon Centre? It's a little crowded here," Ash nodded his agreement and the three of them set off. "Oh!" Dawn said, suddenly. "I almost forgot. Piplup needs his leg stretch, or he'll get angry." Pulling a PokéBall from her bag, she released her small water type starter. Piplup blinked in the bright sun, before noticing Ash and Pikachu. He raised a flipper in greeting and Pikachu bounded off Ash's shoulder. The two old friends began to catch up with each other in rapid Pokémon speech.

The scene was touching for Ash. Seeing Piplup and Pikachu together like the old times of Sinnoh brought up nostalgic memories of when he travelled in a group. The three trainers made their way to the Pokémon Centre and drew to a halt in the lobby. After they had handed their Pokémon over to Nurse Joy for a check-up, the friendly woman asked whether they needed a room for the night. The group turned to each other.

"So, do we do two rooms? One for me and one for you two girls?" Ash asked. However, Dawn shot down the idea.

"No way Ash! You've been on your own for three months now and I've been travelling by myself for nearly twice as long as that. Let's all share a room!" An awkward silence followed as Ash and Zoey exchanged glances. Ash knew Zoey was used to travelling on her own and had probably never shared a room with a guy before. He didn't want to make it awkward for her.

"I'm fine with that idea," he started, slowly. "But what do you think Zoey?"

The red-head hesitated. It was true that she was a little uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a room with Ash, but he had shared with Dawn and other girls on his journey so surely it wouldn't be that much of an issue, right? Plus Dawn was shooting her pleading looks from over Ash's shoulder as if to say _'Please let me share a room with my crush, I'll be oh so grateful'_. Zoey sighed. She had picked up on Dawn's feelings several weeks ago and decided that she might as well accept for her friend's sake.

"Sure," she shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I don't mind." Ash seemed surprised by her not protesting, but nodded his thanks any way.

"Okay!" he replied, before turning back to a very amused Nurse Joy. "One room for three please!" Whilst the nurse and Ash were sorting out the key, Dawn looked at Zoey once more and positively beamed her gratitude. Zoey returned her look with a small smile and could only wonder when exactly she'd been lumped with the role of match-maker.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Ash thanked Nurse Joy, a key in his hand. He turned back to his friends. "Should we go to the room now and drop of our stuff? I could do with lunch after that." As if to make a point, his stomach growled audibly.

"What time is it here anyway?" Dawn asked, curiously. Kalos was practically on the other side of the world to Hoenn.

Ash showed them his watch. "Just gone one in the afternoon."

Zoey did some quick mental maths. "That means its past 7 in the evening on our body clocks." she told Dawn. As if to prove that they to needed to eat, their stomachs chose that moment to growl in unison. The girls blushed whilst Ash laughed.

Dawn then gasped as she remembered something. "Guys, I need to give my mother a call so I can let her know we arrived safely. Could you take my stuff to the room Ash? I'll only be ten minutes or so."

Ash gave her a thumps up. "Of course Dawn, no problem." She smiled her thanks and handed him her travel bag, before hurrying towards the video phone booths. Halfway there, she glanced over her shoulder and gave Ash another smile, this time accompanied by a small wave. The cute, innocent gesture made Ash flush slightly. If nothing else, his time with Serena had at least shown him what flirting was. He then shook his head, as if trying to dislodge those thoughts. He and Zoey proceeded to make their way to their room.

"Err Zoey," Ash began. The red-head turned to him curiously. "I kinda need to talk to you about something. Something to do with Dawn." This was his chance to talk with Zoey about Dawn's recent Contests. Maybe she too had spotted the absence of a spark and could help him figure out what it was.

* * *

><p>Dawn tapped her foot with impatience whilst she waited for the call to go through. Now that food had been mentioned, all she could think about was how hungry she was. Aeroplane food just didn't cut it when it came to a filling, satisfying meal. Still, seeing Ash in person had made the flight worth it. He hadn't changed massively since she had last seen him in Unova. He was maybe a few inches taller but was still just as scrawny. However, it was not the physical changes that she looked forward to. Just looking into his eyes and feeling his arms around her had already filled her with so much more confidence. She pulled a face. That wasn't a good thought to have. Relying on Ash for a confidence booster didn't scream independent. Where had that hug when they met come from anyway? If memory served, then they had never hugged before and physical contact had never gone beyond high fives or comforting pats on the shoulder. Maybe it was these new thoughts swirling in her head: her changing body, his date with Serena and her own promise to Ash to spend time alone with him that had changed the way they interacted without the two even acknowledging it.<p>

A click interrupted her internal debate. Her mother's face appeared on the screen. Having recognised her daughter, Johanna's face split into a smile.

"Hello, Dawn! Seeing as how his call is from Kalos, I take it that you arrived safely?" she asked.

"Mhmm," Dawn nodded. "Safe and sound. The flight was smooth even of the food was a bit… bad." She was going to use a stronger word, but had remembered at the last second who she was talking to. Her mother seemed amused at her almost slip-up.

"That's nice to hear, dear. Have you met up with Ash yet? I haven't spoken to him properly since he called me from Lumiose."

Dawn perked up at the mention of her friend. "Yeah! He and Pikachu are doing great! They even have eight badges now. Although he's not here at the moment. It's around lunchtime here so he and Zoey are sorting out the room whilst I call you. You know, efficiency and all that."

Johanna nodded her agreement with her daughter's words. "And are you going to make good on your promise?" Dawn froze. There was no point beating about the bush. She had already told her mother that she wanted to help Ash's (and her own) confidence with dating.

"Erm…yes?" she said, almost as a question. She could feel her face heating up. Johanna nodded again, moving a hand to her mouth in order to hide her smirk.

After a moment's pause, Johanna responded to her daughter. "Well, good for you Dawn. And just remember that I approve completely. Ash is a sweet boy and trustworthy with it. Just behave yourselves, alright?" The last part came out as a warning.

Dawn gasped slightly at the implication. Now her face was definitely red. "Mum!" she exclaimed. "It's just as friends… a confidence builder. Nothing… _serious _is going to happen." She protested.

Johanna didn't believe her daughter for one second about the '_just friends' _part and she doubted Dawn did either. Still, it was nice to be reassured that Dawn had an idea of what she wanted from the evening: something that didn't involve anything inappropriate for a sixteen-year-old.

After a few minutes of talking, Dawn decided that it was best to go. Her friend's would be getting impatient and she wasn't getting any less hungry. After saying her goodbyes, she moved to hang up. As she did so Johanna made a noise of protest.

"Wait! Dawn! Don't you want to talk about your Contest performances? I _know _something is up young lady-" Too late. Dawn had already put done the receiver. She felt a little guilty for intentionally cutting her mother off, but she was about to go out for a relaxing meal with friend's. She did not need to think about her dependency right now. She got to her feet with a sigh. She then brightened up slightly and hurried to the room she was sharing. She was hungry and was definitely ready for some quality time with Ash and company.

* * *

><p>"So what did you want to talk about?" Zoey asked the black-aired young man. They had arrived in their room and had dropped off the bags. She had her arms folded over her chest and started suspiciously at Ash. She swore to Arceus if Ash was asking for relationship advice she would scream. She didn't understand why it was so hard for Ash and Dawn to look each other in the eye and just come out with it. Honestly it wasn't that-<p>

"I think there's something off with Dawn's performances." Ash said, simply. Zoey felt the annoyance that had been building fade. So Ash was just concerned for his friend? The red-head thought for a moment, remembering watching some of Dawn's Contest's in Hoenn when they were on the TV.

"I guess you might be right," she responded after the silence had become clammy. "Yeah," she continued with more assertion. "There is something missing. That spark she always had in Sinnoh, it's gone out…" Dawn girl still displayed all her raw talent, but it was as if something had changed and her heart wasn't quite in it anymore.

Ash nodded his agreement with Zoey's words. "But what I can't figure out is what made that happen… why lose her enthusiasm like that? She loves her dream!"

Zoey paused to think again. "Something has changed since Sinnoh to do this. And probably the biggest change is…" she trailed off, thinking how to word it without causing offence.

"Is what?" Ash asked shortly, growing impatient with the girl. Her constant pauses were starting to annoy him. Dawn could be back at any moment.

"You and Brock. Neither of you are there for her now." Zoey said with venom equal to Ash's.

The reaction was immediate. The traces of anger on Ash's face faded away and his eyes widened with realization and shame.

"I… sorry… I had no idea…" He couldn't form a sentence. Zoey raised her hand to her head and massaged her forehead, trying to get her words straight in her head. She and Ash were both a little too quick to anger sometimes.

"I didn't mean to snap at you Ash," she began. When Ash tried to talk she raised a hand to silence him. "And I didn't mean it in a way that insulted you and Brock. You need to understand that most Coordinators never have someone in the audience who they're friends with, who will always cheer for them and support them whether they win or lose. What you did in Sinnoh for Dawn was sweet and brilliant of you. But it's a luxury that Dawn became too used to having."

Ash seemed to recover his vocabulary. "Oh," he said, quietly. "That makes sense. I had a similar thing with my Gym battle in Anistar City. It was my first one without supporters in my entire career, as Iris had watched me in Laverre. It felt… lonely and empty and a little bit pointless as well." To know that Dawn was going through something similar and had been for all of Hoenn was a depressing thought.

Zoey nodded. At least Ash could relate. "Maybe we can use that to our advantage," she cried, hope trickling into her voice. "How did you get over it?"

"I remembered that it did still matter. My Pokémon were still counting on me and my friends were still cheering for me, even if they weren't there in person," Ash paused for a moment more. "But I've told Dawn that I'll always support her, no matter where I am! Her mom has to. Shouldn't she know that there's no need to worry?"

As quickly as hope had grown in Zoey's chest it faded. Dawn's problem seemed to run deeper than a lack of support in the audience. Zoey wracked her brain, recalling all the times she had spoken to Dawn and tried to figure out what the issue was. Could it be her new found crush on Ash? No. Ash was right when he said the problem had started when she had begun travelling in Hoenn. Dawn had only become aware of her feelings months later. It was something else.

Ash then broke into his thoughts with an idea of his own. "She seemed a little upset about not sharing a room… maybe she's afraid that she can't make it on her own and needs some sort of proof that she can? Proof that's more than just words."

That was a thought. Dawn had been right when she told Zoey that Ash was smarter than he looked. "You have a good point there," she responded. "You're the Trainer Dawn respects most, after Cynthia and her mother of course. So what kind of proof do you have in mind?"

Ash felt shocked. The Trainer she respected most? Dawn really thought that of him… he was flattered. But now was the time to do something with it. The idea that had begun in his head now fully manifested. He pumped his arm and clenched his fist. "I'll give her proof," he cried. "The only way I know how! By facing her in the Wallace Cup!"

**Not the most dramatic cliffhanger in the world, given Ash's character. I decided to include Zoey as she made an interesting mediator and helps break up all the romantic cliches. This story is going to be multi-chapter and probably have four or five of a similar length to this. I'll also be trying Appeals in the next chapter and battles in Chapter Three, as I'd like to find out if I'm any good at them. **

**Thank you for reading my story. If you have any feedback please review. **


	2. Promise Kept

**Second chapter! Thanks to all the reviewers (and for the advice for battles and appeals). Many people seemed to assume there'd be a love triangle between the three character's. This wasn't my intention at the start, but it has given me ideas for a new angle on Zoey. Saying anymore would be spoilers, however. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

"You really are serious about entering, Ash?" Dawn asked, ecstatically. "That's brilliant! We're all rivals again just like in the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh." The three of them were eating in a diner in town. Dawn had arrived at the room just in time to hear Ash's proclamation and the three of them had agreed to get some food before any further discussion was had.

Ash chewed through a mouthful of fries and swallowed before answering. "Uh huh. I thought I'd give it a chance. I've always learned a lot from Contests and it'd be nice to show of some Kalos Pokémon to the audience. After all, all the Co-ordinators participating are from other regions."

"Don't expect to get very far though, Zoey and I have way more experience!" Dawn responded, confident in her abilities. She had felt on odd bubbling of nerves and excitement ever since she had found out that Ash was participating. Whilst she had hoped he would cheer for her in the audience, having him as competition somehow made her fifth ribbon seem like more of a hurdle; as if Ash, in spite of not being a Coordinator, was somehow as important to face as her own major rival. "I'm a little surprised Zoey isn't yelling at you though." Dawn said, shooting a sly glance at the girl to her left. Zoey looked a little uncomfortable at the accusation.

It was true that, in the past, Zoey had major problems with people who competed in both Contests and the Pokémon League. They were too indecisive for her liking. And yet… "I got over that a while ago," Zoey began, awkwardly. "I mean, Ash is right when he says he can learn from Contests. And regular battles can help Co-ordinators… see." She reached into her pocket and withdrew a small metallic object to show the two of them.

Ash recognised it and gasped. "That's Brawley's Knuckle Badge! Zoey, you beat a Gym leader?" He sounded impressed.

"Yeah. Dawn gave me the idea when she finally told me about her Gym battle in Veilstone City. It took two attempts to win-"

"Yeah, me too!" Ash interrupted, and then noticed Zoey frowning at him, irritably. He flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, go ahead."

"Like I said," Zoey continued, still shooting Ash a pointed look. "It took two attempts, but in the end it was worth it. I learned that a little extra endurance on a Pokémon, even when a battle is timed, is never a bad thing." She was thinking of her battle against Ash's Aipom in Jubilife City. She didn't have a problem with him entering, mainly because she wanted Dawn to get over her confidence issue just as much as he did. She liked her rivals to be strong; otherwise they weren't worth her time. She heard Ash and Dawn congratulate her on her victory and she nodded, her attention then turned to the window. She figured she should let Ash and Dawn talk to each other for a bit.

Noticing that Zoey's attention was elsewhere, Ash and Dawn locked eyes and shared a grin. After a moment of comfortable silence, Dawn picked up the conversation again.

"So, Ash. How's Serena doing these days?" It felt a little odd bringing up Serena, as it brought them close to the topic of their pre-arranged date- which neither of them had mentioned yet. But still, Dawn wanted an update. Ash's response would give her some insight into how he felt about the whole idea.

As for Ash, the question caught him by surprise. He and Serena had been talking comfortably for a long while now and she had clearly moved on from him to dedicate more time to her goal. In fact, she had been Ash's biggest supporter in meeting up with Dawn- not that he'd mention that to the blunette.

"She's doing fine. She's spending all her time between Lumiose and her home so we haven't had much opportunity to meet in person. She's made a lot of progress towards her goal though. She won her first Tripokalon!"

The word was unfamiliar to Dawn, though she was happy to her that he blonde was doing well- and wasn't chasing Ash anymore. "What's a Tripokalon?" the blunette asked, curiously.

Ash frowned, and then laughed at his own foolishness. "Of course you don't know… sorry about that. A Tripokalon is a form of competition for girls here in Kalos. It takes things like baking and PokéVisions and judges the performers and a certain number go through to the next round. If they pass that then the winner is decided in something pretty similar to the Appeal round of a Contest called free performance. If you win three Tripokalons then you enter into the champion tournament to determine this year's Kalos Queen."

Dawn was silent for a while to let Ash's explanation sink in. It was nice that Serena had a dream, but still Tripokalons sounded-

"That's stupid. They sound so boring." Zoey interrupted Dawn's musings. The red-head hadn't wanted to eavesdrop, but it was hard not to when the couple were right next to her. She did feel a stab of guilt at breaking into their conversation, however. Ash and Dawn had drawn back from each other slightly and Zoey couldn't help but feel like she had broken into something intimate and private.

The couple turned to her, each slightly flushed with embarrassment at having temporarily forgotten that she was there. Dawn cleared her throat. "Well, I wouldn't put it as bluntly as that… but I'd really miss the battles if I were to watch one."

Ash nodded his agreement. "It isn't really my interest either. But it does make her happy and she has confessed that she finds battles to be 'a little bit too violent' for her. We don't really try to give each other advice- just congratulations and good luck."

The conversation carried on about more trivial matters. After they had all finished, they went their separate ways in order to practise for the Appeal rounds.

* * *

><p>"Alright, Talonflame! You looked brilliant out there!" Ash cried. The bird Pokémon shrieked its name in pride, performing a loop-the-loop before coming in to land. Ash ran up to his Pokémon and hugged it excitedly. "I'd forgotten how fun it was to come up with this stuff." Talonflame pulled away from his Trainer's grateful grasp and proceeded to realign its feathers with its beak. Returning his Pokémon with a quick thank you, Ash laughed at the bird's self-grooming, reminded of Dawn's own love for her appearance.<p>

"Hey, Ash! Are you about finished with practise?" It was a familiar female voice from behind him. Ash's grin widened. Speak of the Devil… Ash turned to see Dawn jogging towards him, holding Piplup in her arms. Her feet clattered to a halt just in front of him.

"Hey Dawn!" He returned her greeting. Raising his right arm above his head, Dawn mimicked his actions and their hands met in a high five. Their palms stayed connected. One second. Two. They then lowered their arms, each blushing.

Dawn glanced at the ground, cheeks still a little red. "It looks like you're done. I devised my Appeal in Hoenn so I've just had a few rehearsals. So, erm, are you free now?" She sounded nervous. A rare thing from Dawn.

"Yeah," Ash responded, casually. "My Pokémon and I are all set for tomorrow."

Silence stretched out. Dawn then seemed to brighten, as if she had had an idea. "The thing is Ash, _you _aren't ready!" Her voice was sly. Ash cocked his head to one side, indicating his confusion at her words. "You need to dress up for Contests remember?"

Ash face palmed. He had forgotten that. When travelling on his own, the stuff he was carrying around with him had to be prioritised. Fancy dress was, needless to say, not on the list. "Oh man, I have nothing to wear! Can't I just go as I am?"

Dawn laughed and waggled a finger at him. "Nope! If you're entering, you've got to do it properly Ash! Come on, I'm gonna take you shopping."

Ash panicked. For one thing shopping for clothes had never been his favourite thing, and more importantly it drifted dangerously close to a date. He wasn't quite ready to make good on their promise, especially with his plan involving the Wallace Cup still on going. "Erm, I can find something on my own Dawn… No need to go through any trouble…" He flinched at the look of hurt that crossed Dawn's face. It was there for only a split second, but that was enough. She really had her heart set on the two of them spending time together. He sighed. "Sorry, Dawn. That was rude of me. I'd be grateful if you could help me out."

A wide smile crossed Dawn's face once again. "Alright!" She cheered. "Let's go. We can take Pikachu and Piplup as well!"

This surprised Ash. He hadn't expected to be allowed to take Pikachu with him. 'No Pokémon' had been Serena's second rule, right after 'ditch that hat'. Not that he held it against her personally. It was just that time without Pokémon wasn't how he wanted to spend his evening. He could only smile gratefully at Dawn as the two of them and their partners made their way to the department store.

* * *

><p>"So what's Zoey doing?" Ash asked, as they walked through the mall, Dawn clearly having a destination in mind. Whilst he was enjoying his time alone with Dawn, he did feel guilty about leaving the other girl alone.<p>

Dawn waved a hand, a little dismissively. "No need to worry! She was really into her practise when I told her what I was doing." She thought back to the conversation.

"_Okay Gallade, you seem ready for the battle stages. Don't get complacent though. We have some stiff competition out there." Zoey thanked her swordsman Pokémon, whilst Dawn watched from the side-lines. The red-head turned to her rival. "Now don't go stealing any ideas Dawn," she joked. "Did you want to ask me something?"_

_Dawn raised her hands in mock surrender at the accusation of stealing. "Yeah. I was gonna talk to Ash about his costume…" she hesitated, nervous. "I'm going to ask him to go to the mall with me."_

_A thoughtful look crossed Zoey's face. "That sounds like a good idea Dawn," she said in her normal voice. "It'd be good for the two of you to have some alone time together. Plus, I have more training to do… and some stuff to think about." The last comment was under her breath and Dawn wasn't entirely sure if she was meant to hear it. She chose not to acknowledge it._

"_Thanks, Zoey," she said, sweetly. "I'm going to find Ash then."_

"_Right." The red-head waved her off. _

There had been something a little off about Zoey, but Dawn would think about that later. Right now, she had a pseudo-date to have. They had arrived at the store that she wanted. "Here we are!" she said, cheerily. It was a clothing store she'd found out about during her year working as a PokéStylist whilst Ash had been in Unova. It specialised in stylised outfits for Pokémon Trainers.

"Are you sure about this place Dawn? It looks expensive and I'm only gonna wear this thing once or twice."

"No need to worry, I have a discount card for this store thanks to that contract I did with Buneary." Dawn responded.

"You're paying for me?" Ash hissed, embarrassed.

"What? No," Dawn sounded amused at his tone. "You're paying. I'm discounting."

"Oh," Ash said, feeling a bit better. "Thanks for that. But this place only sells people clothes. You designed Pokémon clothes."

"Blah blah blah, corporate deals." Dawn replied.

"Huh?" That was confusing.

It was Dawn's turn to look embarrassed. "That's all I really understood from Hermione's explanation. Basically I get discounts at a bunch of different chains that her fashion company is associated with."

Ash laughed. "Seriously though, thanks for helping me. I'm pretty hopeless at fashion."

"Well, now I have your trust and consent… Let's shop!" Dawn cried, excitedly. In spite of what he'd just said, Ash braced himself.

* * *

><p>"I have to admit… it doesn't look half bad on me," Ash commented, admiring himself in the mirror. Dawn had chosen something that she felt 'screamed him'. He wore a sharp-looking navy blue suit with trousers that were just tight enough to give the illusion that Ash was taller than he was. Underneath the suit he wore a clean white shirt and no tie. His had stayed as it was, but his usual sun hat had been replaced by a hat the same colour as his suit with a wide rim that went all the way around. He wore white gloves on his hands.<p>

Dawn couldn't help but admire her handiwork. Ash cut a rather dashing figure in his costume, which was the effect that she had been going for. His hair would never be tamed, so she allowed it to contribute to his overall 'roguish hero' look.

"Do you want to get it then?" she asked. "I mean, you look… pretty great at the moment." The last part came out as an embarrassed mutter, but Ash still caught it and flushed red.

"Thanks Dawn!" He replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I think I will get it. Just gonna change now."

Several minutes later they had arrived at the cashier, Ash with his purchase neatly folded under his arm and Pikachu riding on his shoulder.

After the cashier had processed his outfit, she turned to the two teens with a smile. "And is your girlfriend buying anything as well?" The two of them flushed at the suggestion that they were a couple.

Dawn answered for the two of them. "We aren't… strictly speaking a couple," Her response was hesitant, as if she didn't want to commit one way or the other. "But no, I'm not buying anything. My outfit's prepared already." Dawn then handed over her discount card and Ash paid the amount due. They left the store, both a still a little red in the face.

They wandered in silence for a few minutes, both plagued by the same thoughts. Should they tell the other that they were counting this as their friendly date? Would it make the situation even more awkward? Ash didn't want it to be awkward or weird with Dawn. He had always felt at ease in her company and he always wanted it to stay that way. Serena's hurt face from that night in Lumiose City flashed through his brain. But no: that was wrong to think. Both he and Dawn had a lot in common and too much history together to let something like this ruin their time together. Ash squared his shoulders and scanned the area. It was about seven at the moment and he was getting hungry again.

"Do you want to eat somewhere, Dawn?" Ash asked. The girl turned to him and then muffled a yawn.

"Erm, sure Ash. I _am_ getting hungry."

"Why are you so tired?" Ash wondered, a little concerned he was boring her.

"I'm still on Hoenn time Ash," Dawn explained. "It's after midnight on my body clock. I still want to eat with you though." She added hastily. She didn't want to sleep on an empty stomach after all.

"OK," Ash was happy that he wasn't the cause. He then noticed a Pizzeria in a little further down. He pointed it out. "How about there?" He asked. He felt that it was a good choice. Not too fancy to make it awkward or too formal nor cheap enough to make him look… well cheap.

Dawn nodded. "No complaints from me. I think I'll try a salad." A salad from a Pizzeria? Sometimes Ash questioned Dawn's dedication to her diet- not that he was complaining about her figure.

After requesting a table, the two of them sat down and looked at the menus. Ash felt a quiet roar of success as he recognised and enjoyed nearly every dish listed. In the end he ordered an American pizza, Dawn went ahead with her salad and they got some Pokémon food for their partners.

Contrary to his date in Lumiose, his time with Dawn was filled with conversation. They discussed everything from the good old days of Sinnoh to the trials and tribulations of travelling on their own.

"Didn't Brock spoil us? I swear my Pokémon and I went through withdrawal symptoms after we lost his cooking." Dawn remarked and Ash had to laugh. It was true. Travelling with cooks like Cilan and Brock had left him complacent.

"One of the trickiest things for me," he told her "was remembering to make sure that you had all your stuff with you. There's so much involved: the tent, the food, the cooking equipment, toiletries. When I reached Anistar City, I was looking for a place to eat lunch and thinking how light my bag was. It turned out that I'd left all my pots and pans soaking in the river at my campsite that morning. I had to go all the way back…" he trailed off as Dawn giggled at his expense.

Their food arrived soon after that and they ate in silence for ten minutes. Noticing Dawn pick at her near empty salad bowl, Ash offered her his plate. "Want a slice?" he asked her. "You look a little short there."

Dawn glanced up, and nodded gratefully. "Thanks Ash." She took a slice and dug in. "No snide comments though. I know what you're thinking." Ash gave her a look of phoney innocence.

"Why Dawn? What are talking about?" He teased her about her choice of meal. Dawn pulled a face at him, and then hid her grin behind her hand. As he returned to the remainder of his pizza, Dawn studied him. Her feelings to Ash had changed ever since she had talked to him in Lilycove City months ago. It was obvious to her now that she had developed a crush on him, or maybe the crush had been there all along and she had only just noticed it. Either way, being here with him now brought a warm, nervous feeling to her stomach. In spite of her tiredness, she was having one of the best evenings of her life.

"Hey, Ash?" She asked, out of the blue. The black-haired boy made eye contact. "What's the most beautiful sight you've seen in Kalos?" The question had just popped into her head. Ash did not respond and just looked at her, studying her the same way she had him. For one of many times that day, she felt a blush rise in her cheeks. She could take a guess at what he was thinking, and the thought flattered her.

"Dendemille Town," Ash said, suddenly, wanting to attempt a normal answer to her question. Dawn blinked at him, as if she had forgotten what she had asked in the first place. "Just north of Dendemille Town is the most beautiful sight I saw in Kalos. Its right up there in the north of the region and it's always snowy. But if you catch it on a clear day, then at night the sky just seems to go on forever, full to the brim with stars."

"Take me there someday," Dawn stated.

"Sure Dawn, no problem." The last time he had seen it, it had just been him and his Pokémon. The thought of it being him and Dawn instead filled him with a sense of longing. Soon afterwards, they finished their meal. By this point Dawn was yawning and rubbing her eyes. Her full stomach was making her drowsy so they decided to pass on dessert. A sugar injection was the last thing she wanted at the moment.

It was 9 at night on Kalos time when they slowly made their way back to the Pokémon Centre, Pikachu and Piplup running on ahead. Dawn leaned heavily on Ash as they walked. Under normal circumstances she would be embarrassed by her actions, but right now she just wanted to sleep. And Ash's shoulder was rather comfortable. Ash meanwhile, wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her close, 'just to support her' he told himself. Though it was rather nice to pretend they were a real couple.

Eventually, they stood facing each other just outside the Pokémon Centre door. Dawn stirred herself into wakefulness one last time. She smiled softly at the boy standing in front of her.

"I had a wonderful time tonight, Ash," she said, quietly.

He returned her smile with the same tenderness. "So did I Dawn. It was a good date." There it was, out in the open and neither of them objected. Ash reached across to her and gently cupped her cheek, unintentionally drawing them closer. "You're pretty amazing Dawn." he continued, mainly talking to himself.

Dawn's face flamed red and she leaned in closer still until their faces were centimetres apart. "You weren't bad yourself tonight," she told the boy. Thoughts of Kenny and Serena were far from their minds. "Let's do this again sometime."

And then without any more words, they met in a tender kiss. Ash's arms moved to her waist as they held each other closely, both burning with desire as the kiss deepened. Eventually, they drew apart, looking the other right in the eye.

"Dawn…" Ash began, and then fell silent. Their actions had spoken for themselves. But still, Ash needed to say it out loud and he needed Dawn to say it as well. "I… wasn't sure about anything in Lumiose and since then, whenever I think about you, it's like this. I really care about you Dawn. And I want us to be so much more than friends."

Dawn only stared at him, drinking in his image and still feeling the burning passion of his lips against her own. "Ash," she sighed his name. "That's so sweet. I feel the same way… I missed you and Brock in Hoenn, but after we talked in Lilycove… I realised that I missed _you _so much more. We always had something special. And now I know what it is." _Love._ That was the word they both thought, and it didn't need to be said out loud.

They kissed once more and linked hands. A giggling interrupted the two and they turned to see there Pokémon partners mimicking their trainers' actions teasingly. Dawn scowled at their intrusion and threatened to sic Buneary on the poor electric mouse. The blunette then let out a long drawn out yawn which Ash found himself imitating. It had been a long day for him as well, especially emotionally.

Dawn once again leaned against Ash as the couple made their way to the room, their partners following silently. In spite of their mockery, Pikachu and Piplup could not be happy enough for their Trainers.

* * *

><p>Zoey could not relax. She didn't know if it was the breeze that was chilling her as she sat on their room's balcony or the cold feeling of stone pressing against her cheek as she rested her head on the banister, but she could not relax. The easiest solution of course would be to go inside. She had spent an exhausting afternoon training all of her Pokémon and then eaten her dinner. Her mind and body were exhausted and she knew she should just go back inside and sleep.<p>

But she didn't. Because she knew that the instant she let her guard down and relaxed, the immature thoughts that she had been trying to squash would return uninvited to her brain. Before they had landed this morning and met up with Ash, her thoughts had been normal for her- train for the Contest and win it. Dawn's crush on Ash had been a secondary concern at best. But after seeing them at lunch time and imagining them on their first date (whatever Ash or Dawn called it, it was a date) she had been filled with a sadness that she had never felt before. She felt envious of the two and a longing for something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

After she had eaten, she had returned to the room and changed into her pyjamas, planning on having an early night's sleep. But her brain was awhirl with things that couldn't be further from Contests and Pokémon. The click of the door behind her made her jump. Ash and Dawn were back. She remained still however, curious to learn what happened on their night out together.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Ash's voice. A whisper. He was referring to the fact that the lights were out. Zoey had been sitting outside since before the sun went down.

"Dunno…" Dawn's response. She sounded tired. And happy? There was a contented sigh in her voice.

A muttered complaint from Ash that she couldn't quite catch. "Come on, Dawn. You can't fall asleep like that. You should go into the bathroom and get changed."

"But I'm sleepy…" Dawn moaned. A few seconds of shuffling about and Zoey heard the bathroom door click shut. She assumed that Dawn had gone in, in spite of her complaints. Silence. Zoey strained her ears to listen in. She felt a prickling sensation, as if someone was standing behind her.

"Zoey?" Ash's voice was barely a whisper, as if he didn't want to disturb her.

"I'm not asleep." She said, talking into the chilly stone banister that her head still rested on.

"Well, it's really cold out here," Ash said in a lightly louder voice. "Dawn and I are going to bed now. Do you want to come inside?"

Her response was to get to her feet. But after nearly an hour of sitting there and given her jetlagged condition, her legs had fallen asleep beneath her. She made it half a step before she staggered and fell forwards. She stopped mid fall, having been caught by Ash, one of his arms around her midriff, his other against her back. She felt her heart rate pick up slightly and was hyperaware of their proximity.

"I don't need this." She hissed under her breath.

"Erm, yeah you do. You'd have landed on your face otherwise." Ash responded with a laugh in his voice.

"That wasn't what I meant," she stated. Feeling came back into her legs and she felt able to stand. "I'm okay now. You can let me go." She told Ash. When she had regained her footing they made their way back into the room, Zoey avoiding looking at Ash.

She clambered into her bed and lay back with a sigh. There was a click as Ash closed the balcony door, followed by the hiss of the curtains being drawn and darkness shrouded them both. Zoey closed her eyes. Was she really developing a crush on Ash? The thought seemed bizarre and impossible. She was always in perfect control of her own emotions and would never let something like this distract her from her Coordinating career. Plus Dawn liked Ash and Ash returned the blunette's feelings: if they weren't together yet then they would be soon. Her feelings had no logical place in that. No, it had to be something else.

The bathroom door opened and a golden light filled the room. It disappeared again shortly afterwards as Ash took his turn to get ready for sleep. Zoey tried to banish the odd thoughts about Ash and Dawn from her mind. She'd need her energy tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Dawn lay on her bed, thinking of Ash and the Wallace Cup. Realising that her feelings were returned had filled her with new found confidence for her performances. She couldn't wait for tomorrow and what it held for her, her Pokémon and Ash.

Lastly, Ash clambered into his own bed. In spite of a rather odd exchange with Zoey, he was still star struck from his first kiss- with Dawn no less. He wondered if he'd be able to face her in the Cup… no he definitely would. He and Dawn were Trainers. Giving it there all in a battle was expected from them, feeling aside.

And so, one with worry and two with excitement- the three Trainers looked towards tomorrow and the Wallace Cup.

**Finished. I know I said I'd start the appeals in this chapter, but I had a few new ideas and reshuffled events slightly. Appeals and battles will start in Chapter 3. All I'll add is this story will ultimately stay as Pearlshipping. I may write a Fireredshipping (Ash and Zoey) story at some point in the future, but I'm not sure at the moment. Thanks for reading.**


	3. Can't Live Without It

**Hello everyone. Sorry for the long delay between these chapters, real life suddenly got in the way and I've been very busy. But I hope this chapter satisfies. I finally get to try my hands at Appeals and Battles in this one and Zoey goes through her own growth.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

Ash forced his eyes open and rubbed the sleep from them. He was wearing a plain white shirt and boxer shorts and took a couple of seconds to remember where he was and what had happened. That was right. He and Dawn had finally gone on their date. The two of them had…kissed. He wasn't sure if they were technically boyfriend and girlfriend, but he now knew that the feelings between them were mutual. He'd still try his hardest in the Wallace Cup, however.

He glanced around the room looking for his companions. He saw Zoey with her face pressed up against the misted window, already dressed and ready. He assumed from the light under the bathroom door that Dawn was going through her usual morning routine. He'd almost forgotten how time consuming it was. Seeing nothing better to do until the bathroom became free, he climbed out of bed and went to join Zoey. As he approached, the red-head turned to face him, bags under her eyes. In spite of that there was a laugh in her voice.

"And I was complaining about the sun yesterday," she chuckled, jerking her head in the direction of the window. Ash looked out, first wiping away some of the condensation. Sure enough it was pouring with rain outside and the sky was so dark it might as well have been night-time.

"Lovely day," Ash said, sarcastically. He turned to look at his friend. "You okay Zoey? You look a little tired." The amused look vanished from her eyes at his concern and she turned her face from his.

"Jet lag will do that to you," she mumbled in response.

"Are you at least looking forward to the Contest? I'm not holding back, you know!"

"Sure, Ash." Zoey said, quietly. Ash was confused. Where had Zoey's fire gone? She was always massively invested in every Contest she participated in, so why was she acting as if it was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment.

"Hey, Ash! You're up!" Dawn's voice came from behind him. He turned to meet her in an embrace that took him by surprise. He gladly returned the gesture however, burying his face in her blue hair, still a little damp from Piplup's Bubblebeam.

"Morning, Dawn," he told his crush. "Sleep well?" Her face still buried in the crook of his neck, Dawn made a noise of affirmation. "Well I have to go and get ready myself." Ash finished, as he withdrew from her hug and headed into the bathroom. Zoey watched the scene with a look of sadness on her face. What had happened last night that had made them so close? And why did she feel so upset when she saw them together. _Stop it Zoey _the red-head berated herself. _You need to pull yourself together. You have a Contest to win_. She steeled herself against the unfamiliar emotions and waited for Ash to finish his own (much quicker) routine so that they could head to breakfast.

* * *

><p>Water splashed under Dawn's feet as the three of them walked through the town, making their way to the stadium where the Wallace Cup was being held. After a quick breakfast, the three of them had to cram under the one umbrella that the Pokémon Centre had free and head out through the pouring rain. As such, their pace was little more than a shuffle. Still, it gave Dawn chance to think. Through her mind ran her game plan for the Cup, from her appeal to what Pokémon she would be using for the battle rounds. Also present was her changing relationship with her closest friend, Ash Ketchum. She was glad that the two of them felt the same for each other and she was hoping to make their relationship more official once the Cup was over. After all, it would make beating him easier if they were simply rivals at the time and hold fire on declaring themselves a couple for a little while.<p>

Without pausing to admire the architecture of the stadium's façade (Ash had told them at breakfast that the place where the Cup was held was usually used for something called the Battle Maison), they pushed inside, Ash and Dawn hurrying ahead, eager to get started.

The main lobby had a plush red carpet that had already been ruined by the tramping feet of dozens of rain-soaked people and Pokémon. Due to their crammed conditions underneath the umbrella, the three of them were soaked through as well. Ash's solution to this, after letting Pikachu out from his hiding place in his jacket, was to shake his hair like a Lilipup, splashing both of his companions.

"Ash!" Dawn admonished, as water hit her face. "What was that for?"

"What's the matter?" Ash asked, puzzled. "We're soaked anyway. It's all just rainwater."

"Well, now it's second hand rainwater! And that's worse…" Dawn trailed off. Their argument was a little silly. White then filled her vision as well as a warm, fuzzy feeling all around her head and shoulders. She realized that, impatient with her friends' unproductive bickering, Zoey had draped a clean white towel over Ash's and Dawn's heads.

Zoey couldn't help but grin as she watched them dry themselves off. As much as watching them interact had bothered her, she couldn't help but find the pair amusing. The fact that they had both missed the pile of clean towels available at the entrance was just one example of how the two could get a head of themselves.

"Thanks Zoey!" Ash and Dawn told her in unison. She gave them both a slight smile and grabbed a towel for herself. They then went their separate ways as Dawn and Zoey went to the girls' changing room and Ash headed to the one for male Coordinators.

* * *

><p>"Mamoswine, spotlight!" Dawn cried, as she released her powerhouse Pokémon onto the stage. She was the very first appeal of the Wallace Cup and she had to make a good impression. Mamoswine emerged from a cloud of white mist before slamming onto the stage and roaring loudly. Gasps could already be heard from the audience. Dawn grinned to herself. Mamoswine always made a big impression. And she intended to use it.<p>

"Alright Mamoswine! Start the appeal with Ice Shard!" Hearing his trainer's commands, the Pokémon formed an orb of ice between its tusks and waited for further instructions instead of releasing it. A pause for dramatic effect: keep the audience guessing.

"Okay, good. Now swallow it! Show them your icy armour." Dawn cried. To further gasps of admiration from the audience, Mamoswine swallowed its own attack whole and along its back, great spears of ice formed, highlighting its already intimidating appearance.

In the waiting room, Ash and Zoey watched her appeal. "Amazing!" Ash gasped. He was dressed in the outfit that he had bought yesterday. Zoey turned to him and raised an eyebrow. She was wearing what she had worn at the last Wallace Cup: a stylised white and green suit that fitted her tomboy attitude.

"Her appeal or Dawn herself?" she asked the trainer in response to his exclamation. Ash blushed furiously. Dawn was wearing a dress very similar to the one she had worn whilst impersonating Princess Salvia in Arrowroot Town. It was a sparkling, strapless, light blue dress and plain white gloves that came up to her elbow. She had looked good in it then and she looked even better wearing it now, Ash thought.

"Both." He responded to Zoey, still a little awe struck. "She's using the same tactic she used in the Lilypad Town Contest. Hopefully it'll work out better for her. Weird to see it in an appeal though."

"I saw that Contest on the news. Mamoswine better keep his temper. Though knowing Dawn, she has something planned."

Both trainers turned their eyes back to the screen and waited to see what the girl would do with the ice spikes.

"Great job!" Dawn congratulated her Pokémon. It was all working the way she thought it would. "Now, launch those spikes in front of you!"

Mamoswine bellowed its name and did as it was told. The icy spikes on its back shot off and impaled the ground in front of it, without a single one shattering. Although it was hard to tell when the spikes were on its back, now that they were on display it was clear that they all had varying lengths and widths. The crowd was silent, eagerly awaiting the climax to the display of power. Dawn smiled to herself. It was time for the twist.

"Now, play us a song!" Dawn cried. The crowd seemed confused, as were Ash and Zoey. Play a song? A bulky Pokémon like Mamoswine? And where was the instrument? Mamoswine lumbered forwards and stood directly in front of its wall of ice spikes. It then, gently and cautiously tapped them in turn with its tusks. Amazingly, it began to produce a melody and the audience were rendered silent, as each person was listening to the elegant tune that such an uncoordinated Pokémon was producing.

After ten seconds, Mamoswine stopped playing and dipped its head to the audience: the closest thing to a bow it could manage. The audience cheered loudly. The judges then voiced their opinions.

"Remarkable!" Cried the head of the Pokémon fan club, with his limited vocabulary. He gave her an 8.5.

"A truly unconventional performance. What a way to show of Mamoswine's talents." Said Mr. Contesta. He gave her 9 points.

"I don't know much about Contests, but I certainly enjoyed it!" Cried Kiloude City's resident Nurse Joy. She gave it 7.5 points.

"The change from showing off Mamoswine's sheer size and power to something far more delicate is a stroke of genius rarely seen in performances. Well done." The Contest Master and Champion of the Hoenn region gave her a solid 9.5 points. Dawn's total was an impressive 34.5 out of a possible 40.

Dawn left the stage, grinning. It had gone even better than she had expected.

* * *

><p>The appeal rounds had gone on with many astounding performances, though none quite made the impression that Dawn's did. Zoey had just returned from appealing with her Lumineon. She had used its pre-evolved form in her first Wallace Cup and she had wanted to emphasise how much she had learned since then. Unfortunately, she had taken no pleasure in her performance and in spite of it being pulled of perfectly thanks to hours of practise, her lack of enthusiasm had left her at a decent 30 points in total. But she knew that she should be equalling or even surpassing Dawn.<p>

As if reading her mind, the blunette turned to her rival. "You really could have looked more into it out there Zoey. What's up?"

The red-head was about to give an excuse when she was interrupted by Ash's name being announced. With all his usual enthusiasm, Ash ran onto the stage and released his Pokémon.

"Talonflame! I chose you!" The red and grey bird emerged from a cloud of black smoke, sparks flying from the edges of its wings, showing of its fire typing.

"Wow, Ash looks great in the clothes I got for him!" Dawn cried, concerns for Zoey temporarily dismissed.

Looking at Ash perform, Zoey couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, he does…" she said, quietly. Dawn shot her a sharp look, suddenly suspicious of Zoey. The red-head corrected herself. "I mean, it's a testament to your abilities that you managed to make Ash Ketchum look stylish." She finished, hastily. Dawn laughed in agreement and both girls turned to look at the screen.

Talonflame had landed in the centre of the stage. "Okay, show them your power with Overheat!" Ash instructed, wanting to start of the performance in a big way. A blazing orb of fire formed from the bird's big and was shot straight up into the air, where it hung unmoving in mid-air, like a miniature sun. Ash grinned. At least that part had worked out. Holding the fire in place was one of the trickiest things they had to do. "Now, circle that fire ball with multiple Flame Charges!"

Talonflame launched itself into the air and ignited its body, burning a fierce orange. It circled the Overheat orb twice, each time the trail of its flame formed a ring around the attack, highlighting the sheer power of the flames.

"Straight up into the air! Go!" Ash yelled. Talonflame obeyed and shot upwards until it was lazily circling above the display of flames that it had formed. "Finish this off with Brave Bird!" The bird screeched its name aloud and shit downwards as fast as a bullet, its body glowing in a golden light. It hit the Overheat and an explosion of fire and light expanded outwards from the point of impact, dazzling the audience. When it was over, the proud bird Pokémon landed on the stage once again and bowed to the audience repeatedly as cheers for the flashy display washed over him and his Trainer.

The judges voiced their opinions. He got an 8 from the head of the Pokémon fan club and Mr Contesta, a 7.5 from Nurse Joy and an 8.5 from Wallace. Ash's total was 32, leaving him in a comfortable position for the next round.

He made his way back to the waiting room whilst the next (and last) competitor went up to perform. When he got there, he was immediately greeted with a raised hand from Dawn. He met her gesture and they shared a high five.

"Brilliantly done, Ash!" She congratulated him. "That was a really showy performance. I definitely saw Talonflame's speed and power."

Zoey also approached him. "Using a fire Pokémon was pretty clever Ash. Most just use water types in order to use the pool and impress Wallace. It definitely made you memorable." There was maybe a tinge of envy in her voice as well. But she couldn't hold Ash's performance against him. He had done really well and it was her own fault that she had messed up on her performance.

"Gee, thanks guys!" Ash replied, embarrassed at the praise from two talented Coordinators. "Talonflame worked really-"

"And now, to announce which 8 Coordinators are moving on to the next round!" Marian's voice interrupted Ash and all the Coordinators present turned to watch the screen. The faces appeared in order of their score. The first to appear was, needless to say, Dawn. She cheered herself and shared a grin with Ash. Then two other Coordinators appeared, followed by Ash's face. Fourth place was much better than he expected. Ash too was happy with his placement. More faces appeared: 5, 6, 7- there was just one place left. Zoey's heart was in her throat. She had ever failed an appeal round in her life and if she didn't make it through now it would break a winning streak that had lasted her from before the Grand Festival in Sinnoh. She could not fail.

_Bing. _Zoey's face appeared as number 8. There were cheers and sighs of disappointment from throughout the waiting room, but Zoey couldn't hear them over the sound of her own relief. She had made it by the skin of her teeth.

Ash and Dawn exchanged concerned looks. Zoey had only just made it through, and whilst they were both proud of their friend for making it, they both knew that there was something seriously wrong with Zoey at the moment.

* * *

><p>"Glameow!" Zoey cried as her faithful cat Pokémon took another hit from the opponent's Poliwrath. She was facing off against a Coordinator in the first round of the Cup and it wasn't going well. She had managed to remain equal to her opponent in terms of points, but the powerful fighting type moves of the Poliwrath were beginning to wear her starter down. She needed some quick thinking to get herself out of this, but creativity wasn't coming easily.<p>

The Poliwrath charged up a powerful Focus Punch- if that hit it was all over and there were mere seconds left on the timer. She flashed back to facing Ash's Aipom under the same circumstances, except now the time would not work in her favour- act now or lose. A burst of adrenaline flooded her system and thoughts of Ash were dismissed in the heat of the moment.

"Block the attack with your tail, Glameow!" she instructed. The spring-like appendage blocked the attack and absorbed most of the force. Another bonus was entangling her opponent in the tail.

"Okay! End it with Shock Wave!" Zoey yelled. Blue bolts of electricity shot from the tail and electrocuted the water-type for super effective damage.

"And time!" Marian cried. "And the winner by only a few points is Zoey from Snowpoint City!" The girl let out a shuddering breath and recalled Glameow. That had been too close.

She had been the last match of the first round, which had begun after a break for lunch. Ash and Dawn (who had both made it through as well) had interrogated her throughout the meal, but she had dodged their questions the best she could.

She arrived in the waiting room only to be congratulated by her companions. Neither of them mentioned the fact that the battle should not have been as close as it was. They watched the screen with interest as the remaining four Coordinators were randomly paired up for the second round matches. Dawn was against some Coordinator who seemed to favour his Blastoise, and that left… Ash against Zoey. The red-head felt like there was a rock in her stomach. It was inevitable that the three friends would have to face one another eventually… but still she didn't feel ready to face Ash. Not like this.

"Looks like you two are going up against each other once I'm done with my match!" Dawn said.

"Yeah… we're rivals again, just like in Jubilife." Ash told her. He sounded excited and… apprehensive? Zoey couldn't tell. She was finding it harder to read this boy who had once been an open book to her analytical mind.

Dawn shot Ash a look. The communication between them didn't need words: _Talk to her. Figure this out._ Ash's response: _I'll try. But I'm bad at this_.

"No need to worry!" Dawn announced. She was speaking to everyone in the group. She then, after a quick hug from Ash, set off to her match, leaving Ash and Zoey alone.

The male made a gesture to Zoey- _Follow me, we need to talk._ Zoey paused, fishing for time. "Don't you want to watch Dawn's battle?" She asked.

Ash shook his head. "She's got it covered. It's our battle I'm worried about." He then turned and walked out of the waiting room. Zoey felt that she had little choice but to follow.

They stood together alone and Zoey glared into the middle distance. She didn't want to look at him. "I don't want to battle you this way," Ash started, ignoring her rudeness. In spite of herself she glanced at him, curiously. He sighed in exasperation. "Neither me nor Dawn are thick Zoey. We know when something's wrong with you. And I don't want to battle you when you're weak. So spit it out: What's wrong?"

Zoey slumped. She might as well come out with it. "It's nothing to do with Contests," she explained. She then looked Ash right in the eye. There was something that she had to know. "What happened between you and Dawn last night?"

Ash looked startled and embarrassed. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything."

It was Ash's turn to be nervous. Where was this going? "We confessed. I dunno if we're officially dating, but we know we like each other… and we kissed."

Zoey sighed. There was that feeling again. That incredible loneliness and envy. "Oh, congratulations…" Her voice was hollow.

"That doesn't sound very sincere. Are mine and Dawn's feelings for each other your problem?" He didn't sound angry. Just curious and hurt.

"I think so…" Zoey responded. "I'm not sure. I've never felt this way before…"

"Jealous?" Was she jealous? No, that didn't feel right… at least not jealous of Dawn for having Ash.

She shook her head. "No. Envious… sad… lonely… I just don't know."

Ash was silent. Ideas trickled through his brain at her words. Thoughts that he had wrestled with during his lonely journey in the last half of Kalos. Zoey was an independent girl… putting her career before anything else, especially personal matters.

"You know…" he began. Zoey only stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "Love, romance crushes… all those things are complicated. I didn't understand them for years… and when I did I didn't want to feel them… as if they'd be a distraction." He looked at Zoey. She had an odd look on her face. He had been right… she had shut herself of from these emotions, these 'distractions' that now haunted her. He carried on. "Then I hurt my friendship with Serena and I thought… no way! Don't ever touch that stuff. But I was wrong. Dawn showed me that. All the times, travelling alone, that I tried to convince myself I didn't need to want or be wanted in that way… I became distracted. You can't cut that part out of you, Zoey. No matter how hard you try."

"But… it's so immature. I never needed it to do well before! I don't want it!" Zoey cried, not caring that she sounded childish.

"It's still human Zoey… and so are you. Just acknowledge that you want… well what do you want?"

Silence. Zoey thought. What did she want? Outside of her Coordinator ambitions… Ash and Dawn hugging each other at the sea port. Ash and Dawn chattering together in the Café, somehow excluding everyone else. Ash and Dawn dating… Ash and Dawn bickering, playfully. "I want love," she said, finally. "I want my… other. A partner who loves me for everything I am and who I can love for all they are. What you and Dawn have." She looked at Ash, this boy who had been little more than an outlet for her supressed emotions- a petty crush for the sake of feeling something… anything. Tears filled her eyes. She hadn't cried since she was 10.

Ash stepped forwards and hugged her. It wasn't romantic but supporting. "I know, Zoey. I've been where you are… and I'm proof that you can move past it. Just accept it and start looking." Zoey nodded into his shirt. She then pulled away, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She felt a new energy in her and suddenly, she wanted to battle… to perform and shine. She knew that there was more out there. All she had to do was look hard enough.

"It's about time for our battle Zoey. Let's go! And good luck!"

The red-head snorted, feeling more like her old self. "Good luck to you more like. You'll need it! And don't you dare tell anyone I cried!" She demanded.

Ash laughed and they walked down the corridor, where they would separate to reach opposite ends of the arena. "My lips are sealed," he grinned. "But you know Zoey… I do love Dawn to bits. But you're quite a catch too, you know. You'll find someone in no time."

Zoey blushed, although it was hard to tell under her sunburn. "Thanks Ash… seriously though. Thanks for everything. You'll definitely be a worthy opponent!"

Ash gave her a thumbs up and the two of them parted ways. They would meet again soon… in battle.

* * *

><p>Zoey stood on her platform in the arena. The centre was a circle surrounded by water. Ash stood on his own platform facing her. He gave her a slight wave, which she returned. His face then took on a determined look. They were rivals again.<p>

"Gallade! Curtain!" She cried as she released her Psychic/Fighting type. It had been instrumental in defeating Brawley and as such was her strongest battler.

"Greninja, go!" Ash responded, as he sent out his own Pokémon. Zoey frowned in annoyance. Of course he had used another of his Kalos captures. The creature on stage looked like a Water-type. It resembled a frog with long spindly limbs and a flat face with strangely blank eyes. Around its neck was a pink scarf. She wished she knew more about her opponent- she knew most Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh- but had never faced Pokémon from Unova or Kalos before. Still, she had a Contest to win- Ash would need more than that to stop her.

"Okay- use Thunderbolt Gallade!" The swordsman Pokémon crossed its blades and charged electricity through them. The bolt shot out, straight forwards towards Greninja. It wasn't the most imaginative move, but it would be super-effective and help her establish more about this unknown Pokémon.

"Avoid it!" Ash cried. Instead of leaping out of the way, Greninja splayed its legs and bent its body backwards into an arc. Gallade's attack shot over its head and dispersed into the water. Zoey glanced at her points as they dropped. Such a casual dodge was effective in Contests as it portrayed the attacker as incompetent. A good move.

"So much for being simple. Let's see how he likes this! Gallade, use Magical Leaf- Countershield!" The Countershield was a move she had seen Ash use before and one that Dawn had adopted to use in Contests- naturally Zoey had decided to use it for herself. Her Gallade launched a volley of glowing leafs which proceeded to orbit the Pokemon as three rings.

"Now charge forwards with Brick Break!" Both of Gallade's wrists then glowed white as the powerful combination attack rushed towards the still stationary Greninja. Ash's points fell rapidly: combinations were an excellent way to affect the score.

But Ash still had more tricks up his sleeve. "A Countershield? Sneaky Zoey! Greninja, dodge through the gaps and get in close." Zoey tried not to laugh. Avoid the Magical Leaf Countershield? Unless a Pokemon could teleport, it wasn't possible… She was proved wrong mere moments after thinking this as Greninja leaped forwards, his body stretched out so it was as thin as possible and fast as a thought was through the leaves and approaching Gallade…

"Land the Brick Break!" Zoey cried, almost panicking at the sight.

At the same time Ash also cried out. "Greninja use Hydro Pump!"

Wham! The Brick Break hit Greninja right between its flat eyes. However, an orb of water had already formed in Greninja's palm and the powerful water attack hit Gallade from less than a foot away. The Countershield dissipated as Gallade lost its focus. It was sent hurtling through the air before crashing to the ground back on its own side of the field. Both their points dropped… Gallade had taken major damage.

"Well done on the Fighting type move Zoey!" Ash called out. "Greninja is part Dark type!" So she had managed to land a super-effective hit. There was still all to play for. But Ash's Pokemon were notoriously tough- it would take much more than that to stop his Greninja.

"Our turn for a combination! Greninja, combine Ice Beam with Dark Pulse!" The dark purple energy of the Dark pulse combined with the cruel pale blue of the Ice Beam formed a chilling combination as the attack rushed towards Gallade… Zoey's points fell.

"Dodge! Use Psychic to boost your jump!" Zoey ordered. Gallade launched a Psychic blast towards the floor and this shot him straight up into the air, narrowly avoiding the combination. Ash's points dropped.

Ash smirked, Gallade was airborne and couldn't dodge his next attack. "Greninja! Hit it with your Lick!"

Zoey frowned. Lick? She started in astonishment, however, when the pink scarf around her opponent's neck sprang to life and snapped out like a whip, it stretched for several metres and wrapped around the still jumping Gallade. It was Greninja's tongue!

"And slam it into the ground!" Ash instructed. Greninja responded, and with a twitch of his tongue sent Gallade crushing to the floor. It was a bizarre and unexpected attack that left both Zoey and the audience shocked.

"Gallade!" Zoey called out. "Are you alright?" Gallade moved to get up, but his body refused to move. Lick's secondary effect of Paralysis.

"Okay Greninja, hit it with Ice Beam!" The chilly blue beam struck the downed Gallade and Zoey's points plummeted. Why was Ash using Ice Beam? Surely a powerful water type move such as Hydro Pump would do more damage. Zoey's tongue was dry against the roof of her mouth. She had to think… wait dry mouth… saliva! Greninja's saliva was what was causing the paralysis. That was why Ash wasn't using a water type move- it would wash it off!

"Gallade! You have to move. Get into the water!"

With supreme effort, Gallade rolled into the pool that surrounded the arena and submerged himself. He then sprung back out, mobility returned as Ash's points fell.

"Greninja, Ice Beam!" Zoey felt hope fade away again as the Ice Beam froze the water in the middle of Gallade's jump. The swordsman Pokémon was left in a spout of ice, his lower half frozen solid. Zoey's points fell further.

Still, she wasn't giving up. "Gallade, break free with your Brick Break!" Her Pokémon's arms glowed white and the Fighting attack shattered the ice. "Now, launch the remains at Greninja with Psychic!" The remains of the ice spout glowed in a blue light and they shot forwards.

"Greninja, stop them all with a Countershield! Dark Pulse!" Bands of dark purple energy blasted from Greninja's palms in all directions. The ice shards shattered as they approached.

"Thunderbolt!" Zoey ordered. Unprepared for such a swift retaliation, the attack hit Greninja dead on and the frog collapsed, almost knocked out. Finally, she could end this.

"Finish it! Brick Break!" Zoey instructed.

"Greninja, use Hydro Pump!"

Gallade advanced swiftly, preparing for the final blow…

Greninja charged an orb of water in its palm and blasted it outwards…

"And time!" Cried Marian.

Both Trainers jumped, and their Pokémons' attack faded. They had both been so caught up in the battle, they had forgotten about the time limit. Their eyes turned to the screen.

"And the winner by the narrowest of margins is… Ash Ketchum form Pallet Town. A round of applause for both competitors in this thrilling match!" Zoey felt momentary sadness. There went her winning streak. But still… She grinned across the arena at Ash. They had both given it their all and there could be no hard feelings. She recalled Gallade and thanked it for its hard work. She then made her way back to the waiting room to meet Ash and Dawn.

* * *

><p>"That was certainly something, you guys. Congratulations, both of you!" Dawn cried. She had won her battle with relative ease and it had been thrilling to watch her two closest friends go head to head in the most intense battle of the Wallace Cup so far. She was also relieved to see that, in spite of her loss, Zoey seemed much more like her old self. She was curious about what Ash had told her though.<p>

"I believe you need to be congratulated as well, Dawn." Zoey said, a laugh in her voice.

"Phffrt, no need to worry. My battle was pretty simple."

"I meant on your _other _victory." Zoey smirked, glancing between Ash and Dawn. No that she had worked through her own trauma, it was once again amusing to tease the two.

Dawn flushed with embarrassment. "You told her!" She hissed to Ash.

Ash rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry Dawn! It's not like she wouldn't have figured it out on her own," He then wrapped one arm around Dawn and kissed her cheek. "You look lovely in that dress by the way."

Dawn blushed scarlet. "Fine, fine. You're forgiven. But I still want to know what you guys talked about!"

"All in good time Dawn," Zoey replied. "But first, you two have a Final to have."

Ash gasped in realisation. He had been so caught up in competing and battling Zoey that he had forgotten his reason for entering in the first place. He would confront Dawn in the Finals… and show her once and for all how far she had come.

**Thanks again for reading. I'm not sure when the next (and final, bar maybe a epilogue) chapter will be released, but I'm working on it. Zoey had a much bigger focus in this story than I ever intended, but I had ideas for her character so I might as well use them. Anyway, please review and Ash and Dawn face off next! **


	4. Finale

**Welcome back! Sorry again about the slow update. I'm studying again now, so the time I can dedicate to writing is limited. But I still enjoy it :D. Thanks to all my reviewers from last time! Please enjoy the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

Dawn bounced her heels in anxiety. There had been a ten minute break before the Wallace Cup Final and Ash had just left for the bathroom, leaving Dawn and Zoey to talk. She glanced across at her rival, only to realise that Zoey had been staring at her curiously as well.

"Nervous?" The red-head asked.

Dawn nodded. "Definitely. Ash has been really impressive in this Contest… though I can't wait to battle him! It'll be our first official match up against each other since… err Hearthome City I think. And Ash has gotten a lot stronger since then."

"Well, so have you."

"I guess… but… nah, what am I saying. I'll go out there and have the time of my life… and may the best trainer win right?"

Zoey grinned. "That's a good attitude Dawn. So what Pokémon will you be using? One of your new ones?"

"Mhmm. The surprise of Greninja is a big part of how Ash beat you, so I'm going to use one of my new Pokémon to level the playing field."

"Smart." They sat in silence for a minute. Dawn then turned to Zoey once again. She was still curious about her rival's turn around.

"So… you seem a lot better now. What the heck were you and Ash talking about?"

Zoey looked a little embarrassed. "Just a little love advice…"

"From _Ash_?"

"We had a common problem… but I'm over it now. I'm gonna start looking at my personal life as well as my professional one, or I'll wake up one day at forty and still be single and wonder where my life went."

"Okay… that makes sense I think…"

"Hey guys!" Ash's voice interrupted them from the doorway. "It's time!"

Dawn stood and faced her crush. "Best of luck Ash, you'll need it."

"Well, I'm not holding back either. Out there, we're rivals first!"

"You got that right!"

They shared a brief hand shake. Dawn then pulled Ash into a hug and sighed into the crook of his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of his strong arms around her back. "No hard feelings when I win, okay?"

"Sure, sure…" Ash said, quietly. "Nothing could change the way I feel about you Dawn." His face was flushed red when he said that and Dawn could feel hers mimicking him.

"Alright you two! You're both late!" Zoey interjected. They reluctantly parted and, after sharing a smile, set off to the arena.

* * *

><p>"And our two Finalists have arrived!" Marian cried. "On my left we have Dawn Berlitz from Twinleaf Town- a talented Coordinator who came runner-up in the Sinnoh Grand Festival! And on my right we have Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. This Trainer is most notable for his many achievements in Regional Tournaments. This is sure to be an exciting match!"<p>

"Good luck Ash!" Dawn called across the arena.

"You too, Dawn! Let's give them a real show!" Ash replied, grinning broadly. He then drew out his PokéBall. "Gabite, I choose you!" The evolved form of the Gible he had caught in Sinnoh was sent out, surrounded by a swirl of sand.

"His Gabite, huh? I didn't expect one from Sinnoh!" Dawn said to herself. "But no need to worry! Grovyle, spotlight!" Her tree gecko Pokémon emerged from its ball in a flurry of leaves. She had obtained it in Littleroot Town after it had been the only one left over from new trainers choosing their starters. She had taken pity on it and it had become a fierce fighter under her care.

"Nice! You've got a new Pokémon Dawn!" Ash called across to her. "Hey, do you remember my Sceptile?" Dawn almost face palmed. She had forgotten that Ash had the Hoenn grass starter as well. So much for surprising him with something new. Still, with Gabite out they were more or less on equal footing in terms of knowledge of their opponents.

"And with five minutes on the clock… BEGIN!" Cried Marian, and the timer started ticking.

"Let's start with something simple!" Dawn stated. "Grovyle, show of your speed with Leaf Blade!"

"Match it with Brick Break, Gabite!"

Both Pokémon rushed towards each other, Grovyle extending wrist blades that glowed green and Gabite's claws glowing white. The attacks met in the centre of the arena and both struggled to push the other backwards. Then, simultaneously, both Pokémon disengaged and leapt back to their own side of the centre island. They were evenly matched in terms of physical power.

"Grovyle, as a ground type Gabite can't go into the water safely. Cover the centre island using Bullet Seed as a Countershield!" Her Grovyle spun on the spot and launched a hail of seeds. They spun outwards from his mouth and blanketed the arena, striking Gabite in the process. Ash's points fell and Dawn pulled ahead.

"Man! I should have filed a patent for that move or something. Don't get hit Gabite. Dodge using Dig!" As the centre island was consisted of a dirt field, Gabite was able to hide underground and not take damage. Dawn glanced at the score. She was still ahead as Dig did little to show off a Pokémon. It had to be visible to be judged. Still, it could deal a lot of damage if it hit.

"Okay, stop," she commanded her grass type. "Wait for it and then hit it with a spinning Leaf Blade!"

Grovyle nodded its agreement and ceased the Countershield. It then paused, waiting for Gabite to strike… a rumbling of dirt… "GO!" Dawn cried, as Ash yelled out the same instruction. Her Grovyle leapt into the air and charged up its Leaf Blade. It spun its body around for extra momentum and shot towards the ground… There was an explosion of dust.

As it cleared, Dawn supressed a cuss whilst Ash cheered. Grovyle's arm was wedged in Gabite's mouth. It had eaten the Leaf Blade and Dawn knew what was coming next. She had to act fast.

"Gabite, use Draco-"

"Grovyle, get out of there using Quick Attack!" Dawn interrupted him. The grass type planted both of its feet against the Land Shark's chest and pushed off. It took an immense effort but he finally managed to pull himself loose. Grovyle landed inelegantly in the middle of the arena, but it was better than being blown up inside of a Draco Meteor. Dawn's points had fallen to meet Ash's. They were now even and four minutes remained.

"Gabite! Hit it whilst it's down! Brick Break!" Gabite leapt at the downed grass type, performing a forwards somersault whilst its claws glowed white.

"Grovyle, dodge with Quick Attack. Get to the outside of the arena," The grass type recovered from its tumble and zipped outwards, narrowly avoiding being hit. It then jumped the water and landed on the banister that circled the arena. "Shoot inwards with Bullet Seed!" Dawn commanded. She had to capitalise on her advantage. Grovyle shot the seeds from its mouth.

"Incinerate them! Use Dragon Pulse and don't let up until you hit Grovyle!" A blue orb of energy fired from Gabite's mouth and burned away the Bullet Seed attack. A second sphere shot straight towards Grovyle and struck it before it could dodge. The gecko fell into the water.

"Grovyle!" Dawn cried. "I know you're no water type, but dive down and start moving! Try and sneak up on them." The grass type dived.

"Be ready, Gabite. Hit the entire pool with Draco Meteor!" Dawn was annoyed. An attack that powerful would turn the entire battle in Ash's favour.

"Stay down deep Grovyle!" She yelled, in the vague hope that her Pokémon could hear her.

There was a hissing noise as the orb of orange energy was launched from Gabite's mouth into the air. It exploded outwards and a dozen smaller orbs fell towards the pool. A series of explosions shook the arena and the air was filled with smoke and steam. Dawn's points fell, as Ash had demonstrated what a huge amount of power his Pokémon had. When the air cleared, Dawn could see Grovyle splayed out on the edge of the centre arena. It had avoided the worst of the damage, but had still been flung out of hiding. The gecko struggled back to its feet, but it looked tired. But the leaf on its head glowed a bright yellow… Dawn grinned. It had followed the advice she had given it months ago: When there's a moment of breathing room, start charging.

"Grovyle, use Solarbeam!" She cried, knowing she could still catch up to Ash.

"You won't charge it up in time-" Ash was once again interrupted, this time by a blinding beam of energy launched from Grovyle's mouth. It struck the Dragon type and threw it backwards. "Hold on Gabite!" Ash yelled. At the last moment, Gabite managed to grab onto the edge of the island and pull itself back in. Both Pokémon were left standing where they had been at the start of the match, except they were both exhausted. Neither could go on for much longer and just over two minutes still remained.

Suddenly, Grovyle glowed green. Overgrow had activated! Dawn had a major advantage… Grovyle was at his strongest when he was on his last legs.

Ash felt the thrill of the battle race through his veins. Now the situation was even tenser and he had to level the playing field. Dawn had given him quite a battle so far. "Gabite! Draco Charge!" He called out.

Dawn frowned. Was that a combination of some kind? Gabite charged up a Draco Meteor once again… but instead of launching it, it instead swallowed the attack whole. It was just like what Ash's Grotle had done and what she had done with Mamoswine! The Dragon blazed orange and yelled its name aloud as new power surged through it.

"Wow, Ash! That's quite a power-up!" Dawn called to him.

"I've gotta have something to counter things like Overgrow and Blaze!" Ash replied, grinning. His expression hardened. "But let's finish this. Gabite, Brick Break!"

"Grovyle, Leaf Blade!" With their respective power boosts, the opponents clashed in the centre once more, the friction of their colliding attacks sending out a shock wave that made the air vibrate.

"Don't give up Gabite!"

"You neither, Grovyle!" Both Pokémon pushed against the other, neither able to gain an inch. Then they both erupted in a white and blue glow… evolution!

Dawn gasped. Evolving in a Contest was nearly unheard of, except when the Coordinator initiated it through a stone or other item, and that was only allowed in Appeals. Both Pokémon grew bigger and bulkier, Grovyle's tail lengthened whilst Gabite's claws grew long wrist blades. As the glow faded, a fully evolved Sceptile and Garchomp stood in the middle of the arena, each roaring proudly at their new found power.

"Okay…" Dawn said. This changed things up a little.

"Uh huh…" Ash responded in a similar tone. They then simultaneously pulled out their PokéDexes and scanned their new Pokémon. They could have learned new moves. Dawn grinned at her new toy: Dragon Claw could come in useful against Garchomp. She remembered that Ash's Krookodile had learned the same move in order to beat Iris's rampaging Dragonite. Maybe some moves were learned specifically for the situation. Ash couldn't help but smile at Garchomp's new attacks: Earthquake and Dragon Rush would be very useful. He glanced up at his crush and rival. "Okay Dawn. Let's go one more time. You've done brilliantly by the way."

Dawn blushed. "You to Ash. This has been good fun. But I'm still going to win! Sceptile, jump into the air and use Dragon Claw!"

"Dragon Claw?! Garchomp, dodge!" The newly evolved Dragon leaped to one side, avoiding the incoming attack… it then hung there, hovering above the water. Ash scratched his head, bemused. "Oh yeah, Garchomp can fly. I forgot that." Dawn laughed at Ash's response whilst Garchomp himself growled happily at his new found ability.

"Okay Sceptile, don't let Garchomp get away. You have an impressive leap on you, so use it. Knock it out of the sky by combining Leaf Blade with Dragon Claw!" Dawn instructed her grass type. Sceptile roared and its wrist blades glowed until they formed jagged edges that combined red and green energies.

A combination with a newly evolved Pokémon and a new move? Ash was really impressed with Dawn's thinking, as well as Sceptile's own skill for pulling it off. "We can't let that hit! But there isn't long left… Garchomp use Dragon Rush and add a spin!" From his position in the air, Garchomp engulfed its body in a harsh blue light and shot towards the leaping Sceptile, the Dragon type spun its body around, gaining momentum and leaving a corkscrew trail of blue energy. The attacks collided in the centre of the arena and, with seconds left on the clock, everything was lost in a massive explosion. Ash and Dawn both shielded their eyes.

The smoke cleared… Marian announced time and they both stared at the emerging figures of their Pokémon, eagerly awaiting the result. Both Pokémon where still standing… it was up to the scores to decide the winner.

"And the winner of the first ever Kalos Wallace Cup is… by only a few points: Dawn Berlitz from Twinleaf Town!" The crowd erupted into cheers and Dawn felt the tension fall from her shoulders. She had made it: Ribbon number five, and she had earned it against Ash of all people.

"Thank you so much Sceptile!" She told her Pokémon as she recalled it. "And congratulations on evolving." Ash too, was thanking Garchomp for all of its hard work. He then grinned at Dawn and the two of them left their platforms and made their way around the edge of the pool to where the judging stand was… and Dawn's fifth ribbon.

They met at the foot of the podium and stood there, staring at each other. Ash spoke first. "Well done Dawn. That was one of the best battles I've had in a long time!"

"Same here Ash… no hard feelings right?" She asked him, curiously.

Ash smiled and shook his head. "Nah, how could I? Dawn…" He paused, flushing, as he tried to get his wording right. "I'm so proud of you. You've come all this way… some of it was with my help, or your mother, or Zoey… but most of it was you and your Pokémon. Keep going the way you are, and you'll be a Top Coordinator… there really is no need to worry about that."

Dawn then flung her arms around him and held him close. "Thanks so much Ash… that really means the world to me. And I'll make you even more proud… when I win the Hoenn Grand Festival!" They looked each other in the eye and their lips pressed together… Suddenly Ash pulled back, face crimson. Dawn, a little annoyed, glared at him. "What?" She asked.

Ash stuttered a bit. "D-Dawn… we're on national television…" Dawn leapt out of Ash's arms and looked around. All the cameras in the stadium were focused on the two finalists and their 'moment'. Dawn too, felt embarrassed. Her mother was watching this! And she hadn't even told her that she and Ash had been on their date, let alone kissed!

"Sorry to interrupt," said an elegant voice from behind them. The two turned, faces still red as the saw Wallace approach them. "It was a fine battle to behold, young Trainers. You should both be proud of your Pokémon and their evolutions'. But there can only be one winner! And therefore, I present you, Dawn Berlitz, with the Aqua Ribbon!" The Champion of Hoenn handed Dawn the shining proof or her achievement. Dawn clutched it to her chest… this ribbon was one of her greatest accomplishments. She felt her blush fade as she smiled at Ash. He returned her look with a full toothed grin.

* * *

><p>"Well, you two made quite a stir," Zoey told them. It was roughly ten minutes after the end of the Cup and they had all changed back into their old clothes. "It may have stopped raining, but there's a whole other storm out there at the moment." She was looking through the glass doors of the entrance towards the gathered crowd.<p>

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked, curiously as he petted Pikachu.

"The media!" Dawn groaned, replying for the red-head. "I almost forgot they'd be there. Knowing them only 1 in every 10 questions will be about actual Contests, the rest will be about…" She trailed off and buried her face in her hands.

"Our moment?" Ash said, sounding apprehensive. Dawn only nodded.

Zoey stepped behind them and clapped them both on the back. "Hey, no need to worry and all that! Take it from a winner of the Grand Festival! Just slip out of the back door and you can miss almost all of them. The fact that you've changed clothes helps as well." The two nodded their agreement to her plan and the three of them headed towards the back of the stadium in order to escape the mob of reporters.

A quarter of an hour later they had arrived back at the Pokémon Centre and sank into their respective beds in their room. Dawn and Zoey were both still suffering from jet lag and the day's events had exhausted them. Ash also felt a little tired: performing in a Contest was more physically and mentally demanding than he had remembered, not to mention the emotional ups and downs the three of them had been through.

"So… what are we doing for dinner? It's like 4 now… so should we eat out in like two hours?" Ash asked.

Dawn muttered something inaudible from the depths of her pillow. She then sat up and repeated herself. "Can we just stay in… cup noodles?"

Zoey nodded her agreement. "Cup noodles."

"Okay, guys." So it was agreed. Their exhausting day would be finished off with a lazy evening and an instant meal.

* * *

><p>"These are…" Dawn began, before filling her mouth with noodles. She swallowed. "… A seriously unappreciated meal."<p>

"I know! I practically lived off of them before I got better at cooking!" Zoey responded. Ash just nodded his agreement, as he was very focused on eating.

According to plan, the three of them had not been active at all over the last two hours and had instead spent their time between chatting and watching TV. It had been completed by cooking some of their instant noodles using the provided kettle. Having finished her own noodles, Zoey tossed her empty cup into the nearby bin and left the room, simply saying 'bathroom'.

When she was gone, Dawn set aside her own empty cup and crawled up onto her bed, which Ash was sitting at the foot of, his back resting against it. She had ditched her pink jacket, beanie and hair clips and was feeling more relaxed than she had in a while, the buzz of her win being replaced by a calmness. She lay down flat so that her arms could drape over Ash's chest and her head could rest just next to his.

She turned and pecked his cheek. "So, what's next for us?" She asked.

Ash swallowed the last of his meal. "Huh?" He replied, confused.

"I mean," Dawn explained, patiently. "What are we doing next, on our journeys?"

"Oh!" Ash exclaimed. "I'm not sure. The Kalos League is still four months away. When's the Hoenn Grand Festival?"

Dawn thought for a moment. She then shrugged. "No idea!"

Ash laughed at how casually she said it. They were then interrupted by the sound of flushing and the tap running.

When Zoey re-joined them, Ash asked his question again. The tomboy thought before answering. "In about two months I think. It's hosted in Slateport City, so it's right by the airport."

"That's perfect!" Dawn cried. "That means that I can watch Ash in the League!"

"And I can come and watch you at the Festival. I'd planned on doing lots of hard-core training before then, so I'll definitely need a few weeks break in the middle of it." Ash joined in, equally as happy. Being there for Dawn and having her there for him was sure to lead to their victory.

"It'll be great to have you cheer for me Ash!" Dawn said. "But what sort of training are you talking about? Remember, I'm free until the Grand Festival. I should practise as well!" She wanted to know if she could join Ash. Their reunion was only supposed to be temporary, but the situation had changed since then.

"Just south of Snowbelle City there is this place called Victory Mountain. Its where all the toughest trainers in Kalos gather to practise because of all the powerful wild Pokémon. There's a Pokémon Centre there as well, so I can rotate my team as much as I need to. As for Coordinator training, I'm not sure. But you'll get plenty of battles!"

"Spending more time in Kalos won't hurt us, Dawn," Zoey chipped in. "Whilst I'm not saying I'll join Ash in the mountains, I'm certainly going to tour the Region for a few weeks and try and capture some Pokémon native to here. They're pretty handy in Contests." She smirked across at Ash as she referenced his performance in the Wallace Cup.

"They really are! I might try for a few captures of my own," Dawn agreed. She then turned back to Ash. "The battle experience will help. I can just come up with Appeals with me and my Pokémon, after all, I have my inspiration back!" Dawn winked at him.

Ash blushed. "Thanks, Dawn. But you don't need me to be brilliant… you came up with that unique performance for Mamoswine all by yourself."

Dawn smiled at the compliment. "I know… thanks to you, Zoey and my Mum… I know how far I've come. But a little extra boost never hurt, right?"

Ash laughed. "I guess not. So, you'll join me then? At Victory Mountain?" He asked her, eagerly.

"Of course, Ash! Just as long as we take a few days off in Lumiose City first. I want to meet your friends in Kalos face to face and look around a bit. After all, I still need to shake of the last of…" She was interrupted by her own yawn. "…the last of this jet lag." She finished.

"Okay," Ash responded. "We have to take the train back there anyway. You should come with us Zoey, we'll need to visit Professor Sycamore so we can get you two updated PokéDexes."

"Good idea, I'm still using the one Cynthia gave me for Unova." Dawn said.

Zoey snorted. "Lucky. I've still got the one I had in Sinnoh!"

"That sounds like a plan then!" Ash cried, glad that he could spend more time with Dawn. And Zoey too, of course.

"I'll part ways with you after Lumiose then." Zoey told them.

"What? Why?" Dawn sounded upset that her closest female friend was leaving.

Zoey grinned at her. "Like I said, I want to explore some more. Plus, no offense, but I have no interest in being a third wheel for two months."

Dawn pouted. "Sorry, Zoey. We didn't mean to leave you out."

Ash scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that!"

Zoey shook her head. They didn't need to apologise. "It's cool. Just look after each other, or I'll smack you both upside the head."

From her position on her bed, Dawn twisted her neck so she could look Ash right in his eyes as he turned to face her. They gazed at each other in silence for a couple of seconds. "That won't be a problem." They told the red-head in unison.

* * *

><p>Later that evening Ash stood on the balcony, looking out across the city and beyond that, the ocean. In the pale moonlight he could see the form of his new Garchomp as it twisted in the air, practising its gift of flight. The trainer couldn't help but smile. Evolving his Dragon type had been an unexpected bonus from the Wallace Cup and he was sure to be useful in the Kalos League. Now that he thought about it, a lot had changed over the last few days. Garchomp and Sceptile had changed physically and his and Dawn's relationship had moved forwards into something even more special. More than that, Zoey had grown up in ways she wasn't even aware she needed to.<p>

Watching his powerful Dragon, Ash was filled with hope. He knew that this was the League that he would win. He could feel it in his bones and see it in the faces of all his Pokémon. And, perhaps the greatest proof of all, Dawn truly believed he could do it and would be beside him the whole way, just like he would be there for her dream. He grinned to himself. Life was good.

"Think any harder and your brain will overheat Ash," The whisper came from just behind him. He jumped, but was then comforted when he saw two slim arms rap around his waist and felt Dawn's head press against his back. "You okay out here?" She asked.

He turned in her arms so that they were facing each other and put his own arms around her. He smiled softly and the blunette returned it. "I'm fine Dawn," he replied to her question. "Just thinking about all that's happened, and the League and Festival."

She smiled at him and then kissed him gently on the lips. Ash responded with a moan and drew her in closer, deepening the kiss. After a while they moved apart, eyes locked.

"That was because we were interrupted in the Stadium!" Dawn told him, happily. "Seriously Ash. I'm glad you feel the same way that I do… I really do care for you."

"Yeah… It's a weight of my mind to finally tell you. So, are we officially dating?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well," Dawn said casually, looking away. "The papers will probably draw that conclusion tomorrow, so we might as well."

Ash grinned at her. "Yeah, might as well."

Ash then recalled his Garchomp. The new couple linked arms and made their way back inside, for some well earned sleep. Thing had changed for the better, and the future promised them so much. How could they not run towards it?

**And finished! This is the last full chapter of Changes and I'm declaring it complete. I may add an Epilogue later if I feel like it, though I think I wrapped up what I wanted to in the closing scenes. Whilst it does seem like this will lead on to a further sequel about the Grand Festival and Kalos League, nothing like that is planned at the moment. I just wanted to imply that the characters would keep moving, even if I'd stopped writing about them. **

**This length of story is about the most I could take in terms of writing, just for keeping all the character arcs straight in my head. Because of this, I expect my next project will be a series of Pearlshipping one-shots and brainstorming ideas for potential Fireredshipping stories. **

**I hope you all enjoyed it, and until my next story, goodbye!**


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